Growing Up In New York
by Caskett092313
Summary: A quick glimpse into what life is like for the Castle family with Lily, Jake and Reece are teenagers.
1. Chapter 1

1

"It's time to wake up, you two." Kate said when she peeked into the boys' bedroom to get them up for the school day.

"Don't we get a free skip school for today?" Jake asked sleepily from the top bunk of his and Reece's bunk bed.

"Yeah don't we get that considering what today is, Mom? Or did you forget what today is?" Reece chimed in from the bottom bunk.

"I know full well what today is. I was there fifteen years ago."

It was then that Rick came up behind his wife.

"Lily is up. How's it going here?"

"They're both still in bed and asking to skip school today."

"Well it is their birthday today." Rick said.

"I know that." Kate said with a look on her face that told Rick to stop before going any further.

"I'm heading down to grab something for breakfast on my way to school." Lily called from the top of the staircase.

"Okay."

Lily and the boys were both students at their sister's alma mater, Marlowe Prep. The boys were sophomores while Lily was a senior.

"Happy Birthday Jake. Happy Birthday Reece." Lily called back.

"Thanks Lily." the boys replied in unison.

With that, Kate nudged Rick back into the hallway so they could talk about the boys wanting to stay home from school. As they started to talk, they heard the front door close behind Lily. Both Rick and Kate knew that their daughter was likely going to stop at a sidewalk coffee stand or a Starbucks to get a coffee on her way to school.

A bit after she had left the loft for school, Lily was walking up to the counter in the Starbucks that was only a few blocks away.

"Can I help you?" the barista asked.

"Ah yeah, can I get a grande skim latte with two pumps of sugar free vanilla."

"Sure."

As Lily paid for her latte with her phone, her parents had decided on the boys staying home from school. Once Lily had her latte in hand, she sent a quick text to her parents to see if her younger brothers would be joining her at school or not.

 _Your dad and I decided to let the boys stay home today since it's their birthday. Dad and I got a case so the boys will be home alone until you get home later._

 _Okay._

Lily let her parents know when she got to school after she had opened her locker. When the boys had the loft to themselves that morning, they went to the living room to play video games while they ate breakfast.

"Happy Birthday, bro." Jake said.

"Happy Birthday, bro." Reece replied.

That evening the whole family would be together celebrating Jake and Reece's fifteenth birthday.


	2. Chapter 2

2

"So this is going pretty good, huh?" Reece asked.

The boys were still plastered in front of the television and the video game console. Both Castle boys were still in their pajamas.

"Yeah it is." Jake responded.

The two of them played the game that was on the television before them.

"What are we doing for lunch, bro?"

"We could head over the bridge to get a couple of slices pizza at Stefano's…"

"Or we could get burgers at Remy's."

The boys toyed over those two possibilities.

"How about something from Chipotle?" Reece suggested when he saw that he wasn't the only one that wasn't that keen on pizza or burgers.

"Sounds good. When did you want to get lunch?" Jake asked.

"Twenty minutes from now?"

"Sounds good."

The two of them play the game for a little bit longer. Once they had their fill of the video game, they had both ran upstairs to get dressed.

Within a matter of minutes, Jake and Reece were outside on the street trying to hail a cab. In a second, two undercover detectives from the NYPD's taxi squad which was out of the special operations unit pulled up in front of them. The boys could tell right off the bat that the two guys were in fact undercover detectives.

"Aren't you boys the sons of the Homicide captain over at the 12th and the mystery writer that's been following her around for years?" one of the undercover detective's asked.

"We are."

"What can we help you with, Detectives?" Reece asked, his voice got to whisper level as he uttered the word Detective.

"We're just wondering why you boys aren't in school?"

"Our parents said we could stay home today...it's our birthday."

"Where are you two heading to?"

"We're heading out to get lunch."

"Well then, Happy Birthday boys."

"Have lunch on us. Consider it a gift from the Taxi Squad, the Special Ops Unit and the 74th." the second undercover detective said as he handed the boys each a twenty-dollar bill for their lunch.

"Thanks." Jake and Reece said in unison.

With that the two undercover detectives drove off just moments before an actual NYC taxi pulled up to the curb and the boys got in. The cabbie asked the boys where they wanted to go. The boys told them where and within a few minutes the boys paid the fare as they got out of the cab.

Jake and Reece then walked into Chipotle where they waited on line to order what they wanted.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: After reading a review that had been left on the previous chapter that had been posted, I just wanted to clarify that this is not a future fiction. It is just a fanfiction that I decided to write when the idea of seeing how Kate would deal with having a teenage daughter and two teenage sons since she didn't have that direct experience when Alexis was a teenager came to me one night. Also I wanted to explore what Rick would be like with two teenage sons since he has only had a teenage daughter prior to Lily and the boys' existence. This set after the time jump in the series finale, I believe that Lily and the boys were born after 2016 not during 2016.

* * *

3

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Blackstock?" Lily asked as she stepped into the headmaster's office.

"Yes, please take a seat; Miss Castle."

"What is this about? Did something happen to my parents? Did one of them get shot?" Lily questioned.

"No; Miss Castle, this isn't about your parents. They are fine."

"Then what is this about, sir?"

"I saw this morning that your brothers weren't with you when came to school this morning."

"No sir, they weren't with me."

"Is everything okay?" Mr. Blackstock asked.

"Yes, everything is okay and they are fine."

"Then why aren't they in school today?"

"Today is their fifteenth birthday, sir. Our parents let them have the day off from school."

"Mhmm, I'll have their teachers get their missed school work together so you can bring it home with you at the end of the school day."

"Okay."

"Here's a pass for you in case you are late to your next period class." Mr. Blackstock said as he handed the pass to Lily.

"Thank-you, Mr. Blackstock."

With that, Lily was dismissed from the headmaster's office. She made her way to her locker to switch out her textbooks before she headed to her next class.

Before Lily left her locker she sent a quick message to her parents in the group message that they had going.

 _I just got out of being called into the headmaster's office._

Rick and Kate both saw the message from their daughter at the same time. Rick was the first to responded to the text.

 _Cool; what did you get busted for, Lil?_

Kate looked to her husband after she had read the text that her husband had just sent.

"Really babe?"

Rick just shrugged as Kate texted her response. As Lily seemed to be answering her Dad's message.

 _I didn't do anything wrong, Dad._

It was then that, Lily read the message from her Mom.

 _Then why did the Headmaster call you into his office?_

 _He called me into his office because he didn't see J &R walk in to building with me this morning. Headmaster Blackstock was curious about why they weren't in school. I was told that I would be given the boys missed school work by the end of the school day._

Kate responded for herself and for Rick. Once Lily had read that message she headed off to her next class.


	4. Chapter 4

4

Hours after Lily had been called into the Headmaster's office, she was home from school. Lily wasted no time when it came to giving her brother's their missed school work. After she did that, Lily got to work on her homework.

"Mom and Dad just sent a text." Lily said to her brothers from the dining room table.

"Yeah." Jake replied.

"What did they say, Lil?" Reece chimed in.

"They said they are running a bit late since they hit a stonewall earlier today in the case, but they will be home in time for your birthday dinner."

"Anything else?"

"Yeah."

"What else?"

"Alexis will be here in an hour. Grams will be here around 6:30 after her dress rehearsal and Grandpa Jim will here as soon as his last class gets done."

"Okay." the boys said in unison.

With that all three kids went back to their school work and homework. It wasn't long before all four Castle kids were under the same roof. Alexis had let herself in like she and Martha usually did.

"Hard at work, huh?" Alexis said to her siblings when she came into the loft.

"Yup." the kids said in unison.

"We clearly were influenced by you, Lexi."

Ever since she was little, Lily had always shortened her sister's name down from Alexis to Lexi when she talked to and talked with her sister. It was her way of making their names as close to the other as she could. Of course once Jake and Reece came into the picture, the whole Lexi thing had been cemented. After that the four Castle kids just abbreviated each other's names.

"There's still a bit of Dad in all of us." Jake said.

While her sister and brothers worked on their homework, Alexis sat on the couch with a magazine in hand.

A while later, Rick and Kate finally got home from what was a very long work day. Jim was en route to the loft after his class let out. Martha was also on her way from her studio. As all four Castle kids helped with making dinner and setting the table, the discussion of what the boys wanted to do for their birthday when it came to celebrated their birthday with their precinct family.

It wasn't longer after dinner and the conversation was underway that both grandparents arrived at the loft. Alexis got her grandmother a glass of wine so she could have a drink just as Alexis, Rick and Kate were. Lily got her grandfather a soda to drink. On her way over to the loft, Martha had picked up the birthday cake for the boys.


	5. Chapter 5

This chapter is for the late Garry Marshall who gave us the movie mentioned below along with many other works for the silver screen and the small screen.

RIP Garry Marshall

11/13/1934 - 07/19/2016

* * *

5

After the boys' birthday dinner, Jim headed out to go home since he had a department meeting first thing in the morning before his first class. Both Martha and Alexis stayed a while longer. Martha had a glass of red wine with her son and daughter in law while all four of her grandkids went to the living room to watch a movie together.

"You two have it pretty good."

Kate and Rick took a second to answer as they looked over to the living room. Martha was right, they did have it pretty good. Even though it had taken some time to get to where they were, they had gotten there. Neither of them would ask or want for anything else than their picturesque marriage along with their life with the kids.

"We definitely do." Rick and Kate said in unison.

With that, Martha finished up her wine. She said her goodbyes and left. After Martha had left, Kate and Rick joined the kids in the living room.

"So where are we in the movie?"

"Julia Roberts just got into the driver's seat of Richard Gere's car and they are heading back to the hotel Richard Gere is staying at."

"Okay."

As Julia Roberts sped off down the California road with Richard Gere beside her, Kate cozied up with her own Richard on the couch. While the family of six watched _Pretty Woman_ , Kate thought about her life. If anyone had told her back in 2009 that she would meet the love of her life, eventually get justice for her mother's homicide, marry the love her life after a slight detour before she finally had kids of her own; she wouldn't have believed it.

Rick leaned over at one point during the movie.

"Are you enjoying yourself, Kate?"

"Of course, I always do when it's the six of us."

"That's good."

As the night and the movie continued on, each one of the remaining family members started to drift off to sleep. The boys were the first to fall asleep on the living room floor where they had been for most of the night. Lily and Alexis soon followed their brothers' lead shortly after that. By the time Richard Gere made his way to the apartment that was Julia Roberts shared with Laura San Giacomo in the movie to bring her home with him, Kate and Rick watched the end of the movie together.

"Now this is it, this is the life." Rick commented.

"Yes it is, and I wouldn't have it any other way."

The two of them shared a kiss and a smile. After that, Rick moved Alexis up to the couch. Then they took care of bringing Lily and the boys to bed before they went to bed themselves. Once they had the boys in bed, Rick and Kate each wished the boys a happy birthday as they said good night to the boys.


	6. Chapter 6

6

The morning after the boys' birthday, all four kids slowly started to make their way to the kitchen for breakfast. Rick and Kate were already up by the time the kids came towards the kitchen. Coffee was brewing as Kate and Rick drank the coffee they had poured for themselves.

"They look tired still." Rick said.

Alexis and Lily were the first two that made it to the kitchen. Jake and Reece followed their sisters within seconds of their sisters getting to the kitchen.

"Maybe you should get them some coffee, babe." Kate suggested.

"You think?"

With that, Rick poured some coffee for his daughters and sons as they half sleepily got what they wanted for breakfast. While the kids sat at the dining room table to have breakfast, Rick and Kate enjoyed having all of their immediate family together from the island counter. Of course, Kate sat where she usually did when shared a moment together. Rick stood behind the island counter.

"Any plans for today?" Rick inquired.

"I'm going to lunch with some old friends from Columbia." Alexis answered.

"Okay."

"What about the three of you?" Kate asked her sons and daughter.

"Homework, studying and more studying." Lily replied.

It was in that moment that Rick, Kate and Alexis all shared a look after hearing the similarity between Alexis and Lily when it came to school work.

"What Lily said and video games." Jake answered for him and Reece.

Kate and Rick finished their coffee before heading out to the precinct. Before the kids got up that morning, Kate got a call from the precinct in regards to a lead in the case.

"We'll be back later." Rick said to the kids.

All four kids acknowledge what their Dad had said with a grunt or a moan.

"Talk to you later." Kate said as they headed out the door.

"Okay Mom." Lily responded.

"Okay Kate." Alexis chimed in.

"Okay Mom." Jake answered.

Okay Mom." Reece said.

As they walked out into the hallway, Rick turned to Kate. "I get grunts and moans for responses while you get actual answers."

"What can I say? They know who the boss is." Kate said with a smile.

After that Kate and Rick left the building.


	7. Chapter 7

7

Just as they said they would; Lily, Jake and Reece started to work on their homework when they had gotten the loft to themselves. Of course the work load was different between the three kids. Even though she was a senior in high school and she could take it easy academically speaking, Lily opted to not take it easy. Jake and Reece had a large workload which was more than most of their fellow classmates.

While the kids were working on their homework, their parents were stepping off of the elevator at the precinct. Rick was there in his private investigator capacity as he usually was since Kate succeeded Gates as Captain. Javi was waiting for them.

"So what's it like having a 17 year old and two 15 year olds?" Javi asked.

"It's a piece of cake." Rick answered.

Kate and Javi shared a look before Kate answered. Everyone knew that having three teenagers would be easy for Rick since had already experienced the teenage years with Alexis. Kate was learning as the years went by.

"What do you got?" Kate asked in regards to the case as she attempted to evade Javi's question.

While they headed to the bull pen, Javi filled his friends in on what came to light in the case since the night before.

"Are you going to answer his question from before?" Rick asked.

Once again, Rick's focus was split between the case and what had happened a few minutes ago.

"We all know what my answer is." Kate said temporarily indulging her husband.

"I still want to hear it."

Kate rolled her eyes.

"While it may be a walk in the park for you, it's been a constant learning experience for me. And sometimes I can't wait until the teenage years are over or I long for the days when they were kids and we were chasing them to the dining room table for a meal."

Somewhat satisfied with the answer, Rick turned his attention back to what was going on with the case and everything went back to what it should be.

Kevin came in to clue the others in on what he and tech person found on the surveillance cameras.

Once Kevin had filled the others in, Rick's focus had once again switched.

"How many days left until the big day?" Rick asked.

"Four days, bro." Javi answered.

"How is Tori handling everything?" Kate asked.

"It seems like she's handling it all pretty well, nothing seems to phase her."

Kevin then shared how frazzled Jenny seemed to be before they had gotten married years ago. Kate said that she was fine when it came to hers and Rick's wedding. Of course the boys had to jokingly ask which wedding. After a glare from their Captain, the boys backed off and went to their desks to work the case.

"At some point you have to tell me how you do that and how you get the kids to give you answers."

"Sorry babe, that's classified." Kate said with a smile on her face as they head to Kate's office.


	8. Chapter 8

8

"Where are you going?" the boys asked Lily when they noticed her putting her bag on her shoulder.

"Just going out for a while. I'll be back well before Mom and Dad get home from work." Lily answered.

"Come on, Lil; where are you going?" Jake asked again.

All three of them had inherited their mother's interrogation ability. Lily knew right off of the bat that it was interrogation time at the Castle home.

"You going out to meet him, aren't you?" Reece questioned.

"What if I am? What are you two going to do about it?" Lily fired back.

"You know that Mom and Dad don't like him."

"Yeah so what? Dad didn't like Pi and Alexis still dated him. They even lived together for a while." Lily said.

For the past four months, Lily had been dating a sophomore at Vassar who was three years older than Lily.

"Don't go, Lily. They'll know that you went to go see him." the boys pleaded.

"Cool it guys, I'm going and in three weeks it will be okay once I'm eighteen."

With that, Lily left the loft to meet up with her boyfriend.

"I give it five minutes before we get a phone call from Mom and Dad."

A while later, Lily was walking through the front door of the restaurant that she was meeting her boyfriend at for lunch that afternoon.

"Over here, Lil." Erik called from the table he had been seated at just moments before.

Lily nodded as she made her way over to the table that Erik was at.

"Hey babe, what's up?" Lily said after she and Erik shared a kiss.

"Not much, I'm glad that we were able to do this."

"Me too."

"I'm surprised that you were able to getaway."

"It was just me and my brothers at home so it was easy. Mom and Dad went into the precinct this morning right around the time Alexis left."

"Oh okay."

Lily and Erik put their order in with their waiter before their conversation continued on. Once they had finished their lunches, Erik and Lily went back to Erik's off campus apartment.


	9. Chapter 9

9

"So what do you want to do, Lil?" Erik asked as soon as they got back to his off campus apartment.

"I don't know, got any new movies to watch?"

"Mhmm, I haven't added anything to the library but maybe Elliot or Wyatt have."

Elliot and Wyatt were Erik's roommates; Lily had met them once before when she had come over one day after the holidays to give Erik his Christmas gift.

Erik perused the movie library that was being displayed on the television before them.

"Looks like one of the added _Star Trek Beyond_ ,the _Ghostbusters_ remake and _Lights Out_ movies."

"Okay…" Lily answered.

"Which one do you want to see?"

Just as Lily was going to voice her choice, she got a text from one of her brothers.

"What's going on?" Erik asked when he saw the look on Lily's face.

"My brother just text me."

"And?"

"And he said that our parents called to check in on us since they are chasing down a lead in the case they got."

"What did they say to your parents?"

"They said that they told Mom and Dad that I snuck out to see you."

There was a pause in Lily and Erik's conversation.

"So I guess that means that you have to leave."

"Yeah pretty much, I have to get back home before Mom and Dad get home. And I'm thinking that since they know where I am that they will detour back to the loft at some point." Lily replied.

There was a disappointed look on Erik's face. After all he was looking forward to watching a movie with Lily and was hoping for something more to happen at the same time.

"I know you are disappointed; babe, but we both knew that this could happen…."

Lily waited as she watched to see if the expression on Erik's face changed at all.

"And I know that you were hoping that me coming here would venture into something more than just the two us sitting here watching a movie, but I think we both know that if we took that next step in our relationship at this time that you wouldn't just have to deal with my parents afterwards but also the entire 12th precinct which would be led by my uncles."

Erik nodded.

"I guess you're going to need a ride home then." Erik said.

"I do, but I believe it would be best if you stayed here so that your family line doesn't end with you."

"You are right; it is probably the best thing for me to do."

"Besides, I don't think that my aunt and her colleagues have much room at the Medical Examiner's office right now."

With that, Erik and Lily shared a kiss before Erik walked her outside to the street. He hailed a cab for Lily and told the cabbie where to go. Erik even told the cabbie not to detour on his way back to the city since his fare was the daughter of an NYPD Captain. Lily smiled as she always did when she listened to Erik looking out for her.

Erik stood on the side of the road near the curb as he watched the taxi cab drive off with Lily in the backseat. He stood there until the cab was out of sight before he went back inside.


	10. Chapter 10

10

Lily was walking down the hallway that the loft resided on after she had gotten off of the elevator once she had gotten home from Erik's. When she walked into the building that the loft was in, Lily had sent Erik a text to let him know that she had gotten home safely and that the cabbie had listened to what Erik had said before he drove off before. After reading Erik's response, Lily rode the elevator up to the floor she needed to reach.

The second Lily had stepped off of the elevator, she could hear her parents talking quiet loudly about her and Erik. That was when Lily had text Erik to say that she hadn't gotten back before her parents. It was then that both Erik and Lily had assumed that Kate had used the gumball on top of her squad car when she and Rick were driving back to the loft.

"What are we going to do with her?" Kate asked.

"I don't know, if we try to keep her from seeing Erik; she will just sneak out to see him like she did today." Rick answered.

Jake and Reece had been sent up to their bedroom when their parents had gotten home. It was clear that Rick and Kate were planning on talking to their daughter about her latest rebel moment.

Kate and Rick stood in silence around the island counter in the kitchen with cups of coffee sitting on the counter in front of each of them when Lily walked through the front door. From the minute she walked in the loft, Lily knew that everything was going to hit the fan.

"Come here, Lily."

Lily set her stuff down on the floor beside the front door before she made her way over to where her parents were.

"So you left to see Erik when you said you were working on homework." Kate said to her daughter.

"Yes I did."

"Why and what did you do?" Rick asked.

"We wanted to see each other. All that we did was meet for lunch, we went back to his apartment to watch a movie."

"You know that we don't want you going to over to his apartment when it's just the two of you."

There was a pause in the conversation, Lily was choosing her words quite carefully at the moment.

"Let me just ask this one thing before this conversation goes any further." Lily said.

Kate and Rick gave their daughter the go ahead nod.

"Whatever happen to that whole notion that Mom said a number of years ago when Dad was freaking out about Alexis starting to date? Something about the teenage girl holding all the cards in a relationship."

Back before they had Lily, on some level both Rick and Kate knew that the whole bit of advice Kate given to Rick previously would come back to haunt them if they ever had a daughter. This was that moment for them.

After Lily had said what she wanted to say the conversation between the parents and the child continued on. At one point, Lily did remind her parents that in three weeks everything age wise between her and Erik would be nothing. Eventually the conversation ended and Lily went up to her room.

On her way to her bedroom, Lily stopped at her brothers' bedroom. The boys had their bedroom door open. Lily looked into the bedroom and quickly scanned her brothers' room to see where they were.

"Thanks a lot for ratting me out."

Lily was a bit annoyed with Jake and Reece for telling on her. After she had said what she wanted to, Lily continued on to her bedroom. Within seconds of getting to her own bedroom, Lily started one of two video calls from her computer. The first one being to Alexis, the second would be to Erik.


	11. Chapter 11

11

When the weekend had rolled around once again, everyone was converging on the Hamptons for Jake and Reece's birthday. Kate, Rick and the kids had headed over to the Hamptons house a few days earlier. Alexis, Martha and Jim would be heading over to the Hamptons house later that morning. When it came to the precinct gang, they would be there at the house that evening.

Everyone was off doing their own things. The boys were outside swimming in the pool. Lily was up in her room within the Hamptons house talking to Erik via video chat. Rick and Kate were getting everything ready for the party.

"Did we get everything for the party?" Kate asked.

"I think we did. The housekeeper got the decorations we needed on her way here." Rick replied.

"Okay, what about the food?"

"I think we have enough food. I mean it's only going to be sixteen of us for the party tonight."

With that said, the two of them went returned to the party prep. Meanwhile upstairs, Lily's conversation with Erik was fully underway.

"So you're definitely coming with me to the wedding next week?" Lily questioned.

"Of course I am, love." Erik answered.

"And you're coming to celebrate my birthday with us, right?"

"I was already planning on being there."

"Good."

There as a pause in their discussion. Lily could tell that there was something else on Erik's mind.

"What's going on that head of yours, babe?" Lily asked in an attempt to break the silence.

"Nothing really."

"Mhmmm sure."

They both knew that wasn't the whole truth.

"Okay, okay; you caught me."

"I was thinking that maybe we can take the next step in our relationship either at the wedding reception or after you turn eighteen." Erik commented.

"Oh…"

"Oh. That's all you can say?"'

"We'll see what will happen." Lily said.

With that out there the conversation between Lily and Erik continued on.


	12. Chapter 12

12

Lily was still engrossed in her talk with Erik when her sister came up to her bedroom and stood in the doorway. Alexis stood in the doorway for some time before she had been noticed.

"Hey Alexis, it's good to see you again." Erik said as he saw Alexis standing in the doorway through the video feed.

"Very funny, Erik; Alexis won't be here for a while." Lily commented.

With that, Alexis cleared her throat and Lily jumped out of her chair.

"Call you later, Erik." Lily said as she quickly ended the video chat.

"You know that you could've kept talking if you wanted." Alexis said.

"I know, but you're here now and I can talk to Erik whenever."

After that, Alexis and Lily left Lily's bedroom to head downstairs.

"So how long were you standing there before?" Lily asked.

"Not that long."

"That means you heard how much?"

"Not that much."

"So basically all of it." Lily said.

Alexis nodded as they continued to make their way downstairs. Just as the girls got down to the main floor, the boys came in from the pool.

"Mom, Dad; I just wanted to let you know that Erik said that he's going to be my date to Uncle Javi's wedding. He also said he's coming to celebrate my birthday with all of us." Lily said to her parents.

In that moment, Rick and Kate both shared a look that said _Oh great we have to deal with him_. The look that they had were quite noticeable by all of their kids.

Shortly after that, Jim and Martha arrived at the house. The grilling for the party got underway while the grandkids made sure their grandparents had something to drink. Kevin, Jenny and their kids were the first to arrive out of the precinct gang was concerned. After that, Lanie showed up with her fiancé, Robin. When a good part of everyone that was there to celebrate Jake and Reece's birthday was outside, Javi and Tori showed up. Once everyone was situated in the backyard, Martha turned her attention to the soon to be married couple.

"So how are you two doing now that the big day is getting closer with each day?" Martha asked.

"We're hanging in there, Mrs. R." Javier replied.

"Yes we're hanging in there. I can't wait until the wedding day is here."

After that, those that were nearby; all shared what was going through their minds in the days leading up to their own weddings. Those that weren't married were either sunbathing or swimming in the pool.


	13. Chapter 13

13

"If Lily and Alexis are bringing dates to Uncle Javi's wedding, then we should be allowed to bring dates too." Jake said.

Kate, Rick and the three kids had been back from the Hamptons for a few days now. The five of them were all relaxing in the living room one evening after dinner before the kids went up to bed.

"Yeah, it's only fair that we get to; if they get to." Reece chimed in.

"We didn't know that you two were interested in anyone." Kate said.

"It's true, we didn't. And I think your mom wanted to keep you two as her little boys for as long as possible." Rick stated.

It was then that Kate elbowed Rick in the ribs.

"Well we are interested in dating."

"So who are you interested in?" Lily asked.

It was then that things started to get uncomfortable for one of the twins. Once the unease was out there, everyone noticed.

"Well there's a girl in my English class that I've been talking to a lot lately." Jake said.

"What's her name?"

"Her name is Ava Jacobs."

"What about you, Reece?" Kate asked.

"Um…" Reece said.

"Cat got your tongue, lil bro?"

Reece knew that Lily was joking, but he still wasn't sure if he wanted to tell his family who he was interested in.

"Come on, Reece; tell them. It will be fine."

With the encouraging words from his twin, Reece decided to share.

"Well I've been talking to Abbie Mitchell."

It was then that the twins saw their sister connecting the proverbial dots after Reece had said the name of the girl he liked.

"Abbie Mitchell as in the Abbie, I've been best friends with since the third grade?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, that Abbie Mitchell."

Before anything else could be said, Kate and Rick told the boys that they could bring dates to Javi and Tori's wedding in a few days.

Right before she settled into bed that night, Lily quickly video called her friend Abbie.

"What's up, Lil?"

"You tell me, Abs. I just found out about you and Reece."

"Ah so you know…"

"Yeah I know that you and Reece have been talking."

"Oh okay." Abbie said with a bit of relief in her voice.

"What else don't I know?"

"Now isn't the time for that, Lily. I'll see you at school tomorrow." Abbie said as she ended the video call.

It was then that Lily wondered how far things between her brother and her best friend had gone.


	14. Chapter 14

14

"So what aren't you telling me?" Lily asked the next morning when she had come up Abbie who had been at her locker.

"I don't think that I should be the one to tell you?"

"We both know that Reece won't say anything. So that leaves you, Abs."

"Well, this isn't the time or place for this talk." Abbie said trying to dodge the questions yet again.

With that, Lily pulled her best friend into the nearest girls' bathroom so they could have a private conversation. Thankfully this bathroom was clear.

"Talk now." Lily demanded.

Abbie took a deep breath before she spoke.

"Remember how Reece took me to the homecoming dance a few months ago?"

"I do. Erik came to take me while Jake went with Ava."

"Well let's just say that you and Erik were the only ones who do everything couples do at homecoming."

"You mean that slept with my little brother."

"Ah yeah. Don't forget that Ava slept with Jake that night too."

"They are the same age. You're older than Reece, that's different."

Lily was so infuriated at that point all she could do was walk away. On her way to her first period class, Lily text Erik.

 _I have a study hall period in two hours, are you free?_

Lily didn't have to wait long for a response from Erik.

 _I'm completely free after my 9:30 class gets out at 11:30. Why?_

Before responding, Lily thought of what she wanted to say.

 _Let's just say that there's only one virtuous person left in the Castle family._

Once Erik had connected the dots, he answered.

 _Just because your sister and brothers have taken the next step doesn't mean we have to. I can wait, we can wait; Lil._

Now Lily knew that part of the reason that Erik had said what he had just said was that he could go to jail since she was still a minor. The other part was that he didn't want to make Rick and Kate dislike him anymore than they already had.

 _Relax, we won't get caught. Just meet me at the loft in two hours._

Reluctantly Erik text back an okay. With that the two of them went to their classes.


	15. Chapter 15

15

Erik was standing right outside the front door of the loft as Lily came down the hallway from the elevator. In Lily's mind it was now or never. She knew the loft was and would be empty for hours. Lily didn't care about the age difference or anything at this point. It was time, it was more than time.

"We don't have to do this, you know. It can wait. I can wait until your eighteen." Erik said.

"I know it can wait and I know that we don't have to do it now. But I want to."

Erik could understand where Lily was coming from. Her life she had been the second one for everything. The second born daughter of Richard Castle and so on. The only thing she could claim to be first in was that she was Kate Beckett first biological daughter as well as the first biological granddaughter for Jim and her late grandmother, Johanna.

"If you insist." Erik said as Lily unlock the door to let the two of them in the loft.

"I do."

With the front door open; Lily started to kiss Erik as she guided them into the loft. The kissing and the making out was what these two were good at after all the practice they had.

"Are you sure that you're ready for this, Lil?" Erik asked.

"I am, now stop talking and let's get back to business."

The duo moved to the living room where Lily spun them around and pushed Erik down to sit on the couch. Once Erik had been seated, Lily took to straddling his lap. It was quite obvious to Lily that Erik was turned on by the sight of his girlfriend in her school uniform. Not long after the two of them sat down on the couch did things escalate between them.

Lily took Erik shirt off for him as he did the same with hers. Just as things went further sometime after all the clothing was removed and the duo had situated themselves on the floor with the blanket that Kate had deemed "The nasty blanket" when she and Rick were taking care of Benny; Erik started to do his part in the whole tryst he was taking part in with Lily.

Just as Erik was about thrust inside of Lily yet again, the front door opened again and the sound of two familiar voices filled the dead space. When Lily realized that her sister and her mother had just come home she realized that things were going to hit the fan pretty quick.

"Is that?" Erik asked in barely audible whisper.

"Ah yeah its them."

"So what do we do?"

"I don't know. They're not supposed to be here." Lily answered.

Lily and Erik waited for a moment as they listened in to the conversation Alexis and Kate were having. It was in that moment that both Erik and Lily were happy that their clothes along with their shoes were close by instead of being all over the loft.

"We have to do something and soon." Erik said urgently still in the barely audible whisper.

"I know we do."

Kate and Alexis were just about to finish their talk at that point. When Lily and Erik heard the sound of Kate's stiletto heels hit the floor as she made her way out of the loft, they breathed a sigh of relief. They had avoided being caught by Kate; which was a good thing in of itself, but the question of where Alexis was still remained.

"Why don't the two of you put some clothes on and come over here." Alexis said making her presence known.

"I knew that we'd get caught." Erik commented as he and Lily got dressed.

Seconds later after they were fully clothed again, Lily and Erik joined Alexis at the island counter. Alexis had a talk with her sister and Erik before she sent Erik on his way.

"I'll call you tonight, Lil." Erik said as he said goodbye.

With one look from Alexis, Erik took the opportunity to rectify what he had just said.

"I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay."

After the two of them shared a kiss, Erik left and Alexis' attention turned to her kid sister. Lily knew than that this conversation with Alexis was the beginning of talks she was going to have.


	16. Chapter 16

16

Lily stood in front of her sister wondering what her fate was going to be. She knew that if Alexis had detected her and Erik at the loft doing what they were that there was a good chance that Kate had picked up on what had transpired as well. The question that remained for Lily was why Kate didn't bust them.

"What are you going to do? Tell Mom and Dad? They already don't like Erik as it is and once they find out about this, things will just get worse." Lily said.

"Before anything is said to Dad and Kate, what I want to know is why in the world my kid sister would come home from school during the day to sleep with her boyfriend? Better yet why in the world she would hook up with her boyfriend who is older than her at home when her own mother is NYPD." Alexis said.

Lily waited before she answered.

"Lily…Why?"

"Let's just say that I didn't want to be the only one out of the four of us that hadn't gone there with a significant other.

It was then that Alexis had found out that it wasn't just her sister who had slept with a significant other. There were too many things going through Alexis's mind at that point for her to do anything but tell her sister to go back to school. Once Lily was on her way back to school, Alexis called Kate at the precinct since she knew that both her Dad and step-mother would be there at this time of day.

Over at the 12th, Kate had been listening to the conversation her husband was having with Javi and Kevin at the moment; trading war stories of life as a married man so to speak.

"Captain Beckett." Kate said when she answered her office phone.

"Kate; its Alexis."

"What's up, Alexis? Did something happen since we had lunch?"

"You could say that."

"Okay, what happened?" Kate asked with concern in her voice that quite noticeable.

As Alexis ask Kate how soon she and Rick could get to the P.I. office; Kate signaled Rick to come into her office. Once Rick had joined his wife and the office door was closed behind him, Kate put her office phone on speaker so Rick could hear what was going on.

"Why can't you just tell us now?" Rick asked.

"I can't say it over the phone; Dad, because it's not something that should be discussed over the phone like this." Alexis answered.

After that, Kate said that they would meet Alexis at Rick's P.I. office. A few minutes later, Alexis was cluing her Dad and Kate in on what she had learned. Once they had heard everything from Alexis about Lily and the boys the decision had been made to sit down with the three of them to reiterate the sex talk with them.


	17. Chapter 17

17

Days later it was time for Javi and Tori's wedding. The couple had chosen a rooftop venue that had a great view of the city and its skyline. There were hundreds of guests at the wedding just between everyone that came from the precinct along with the families of the bride and groom, there were hundreds of guests waiting for the ceremony to start. Gates even took time off from her job at One Police Plaza to attend the wedding.

"I'm glad that Sergeant Esposito has finally found someone to settle down with." Gates said.

"Yes, Javi and Tori are good together." Kate said in response to what her predecessor had said.

It was then that Gates' husband came up behind her and asked her if they should find seats. Kate, Rick, all four kids and their dates waited a while before they took their seats. Of course; Kevin and Jenny were also dealing with their son dating. They had gotten use to Sarah Grace dating but their baby boy something entirely different.

At one point before the ceremony got underway each of the significant others for the three younger Castle kids looked to their respective significant other. It was safe to say that Erik, Ava and Abbie weren't sure if they were returning to their homes come the end of the night with the looks they were getting from Kate and Rick.

It was then that Alexis's date who had been her boyfriend for three years now smirked a bit before he turned to say something to Alexis.

"It's good thing that I'm not in Erik's shoes anymore." Ben said.

"I know what you mean, I'm feeling the same way when it comes to how Ava and Abbie must be feeling right now."

Once the discomfort had reached a new level the whole group took their seats and the ceremony got underway. Just as Kevin had one of Jenny's relatives as his best man, Javi had one of Tori's relatives as his best man.

Javi took his place with his best man and his groomsmen after the officiate took her place. Tori's bridesmaids proceeded down the aisle before Tori was escorted down the aisle by her father.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here tonight to join these two souls as one in marriage." the officiate said when the ceremony got under way.

It was then that pretty much everyone that was in attendance that was married took their spouse's hand in theirs as they all watched the ceremony. Javi and Tori went with the traditional vows instead of writing their own. The two of them took turns reciting the vows to each other. Rick kissed Kate on her cheek during the vows. Kevin did the same with Jenny as did Gates' husband did with Gates.

Shortly after the vows, the officiate told Tori and Javi they could have their first kiss as husband and wife. After that the officiate had the distinct honor of being the first person to introduce Mr. and Mrs. Javier Esposito to the guests. The reception followed the ceremony. By 1am Rick and Kate were putting Lily and the boys to bed since they had fallen asleep in the car after drop offs were made.


	18. Chapter 18

18

The weeks had passed since Javi and Tori's rooftop wedding. Today was Lily's eighteenth birthday which made Lily quite happy. Just as they had with the boys; Rick and Kate had allowed Lily to stay home from school. Since this was a big, milestone birthday; Rick and Kate had asked their daughter the night before what she wanted to do for her birthday the night before. Lily had to think about it for a while before she answered them. It went without being said that there would be a family dinner on Lily's birthday, but the day was completely clear for whatever the birthday girl wanted to do.

In light of everything that had happened after Lily and Erik had taken the next step in their relationship; Lily had decided that it would be best if they had spent some time a part. In Lily's mind, she knew that if Erik had been seen in the loft or anywhere near her at this point in time that her mother along with the entire NYPD would be on Erik in no time at all. There was no reason that his family line should end with him. The boys had also advised their respective girlfriends to steer clear for a while after their parents learned that the boys had taken the next step in their relationships.

But that was that and today was about Lily. Once Lily had decided what she wanted to do for her birthday the night before she had told her parents.

"It's my birthday!" Lily had shouted as she hustled down the stairs.

Kate and Rick were already up with coffee in hand by the time Lily had come down. Seeing their daughter so excited for her birthday put a smile on both Rick and Kate's faces.

"So are you looking forward to your day out in the city with your mom, sister and grandmother?" Rick asked as he poured Lily some coffee.

"I'm ecstatic, Dad. What could be better than the four Castle women spending a day in the city that never sleeps?" Lily asked.

"Technically speaking; Grams is a Rodgers not a Castle." Alexis said playfully correcting her kid sister as she walked into the loft.

"Technically speaking darlings; if your father hadn't changed his name, you all would be Rodgers and not Castles." Martha commented in all her diva grandeur as she came into the loft behind her eldest grandchild.

"What is this? Gang up on Rick Day?"

The ladies laughed.

"Babe, we don't need a special day for that." Kate said cheekily.

"Yeah Dad we really don't." Alexis chimed in.

"Every day is Gang Up on Rick Day." Lily said with enough cheek to match her mother's from before.

Martha laughed as her daughter in law and youngest daughter gathered their things.

"This is why we had sons after we had her." Rick said as he kissed Kate goodbye.

"Have a good day with the boys. See you later, babe."

After Kate had said goodbye to Rick; the girls had said goodbye to their Dad.

"See you tonight, kiddo." Martha said.

As the ladies rode the elevator down to lobby level, the question arose as to where the first stop on Lily's day out.

"So where to first?"

"How about the psychic's?" Lily replied.

Everyone said okay but being the daughter of a cop, Lily instantly picked up on what was going on through her mother's mind.

"What? I am the daughter of Richard Castle, after all." Lily responded.

"She has a point, Katherine."

"Besides since I'm more level headed and logical like you then Lily has to be like Dad. It just makes everything balanced."

Kate just nodded as the quartet made their way to the psychic.


	19. Chapter 19

19

"So what did the psychic say?" Sarah Grace inquired.

Once again the entire gang from the homicide unit of the 12th precinct along with their families were attending a wedding for one of their own. Today was Lanie's wedding; just as Kate had asked Lanie to be her matron of honor after Rick had proposed to Kate, Lanie followed suit. The wedding was being held at Lanie's childhood home in South Carolina.

"Not much, she just mentioned where I'm going to end up for college, what I'll be majoring and minoring in while I'm at college." Lily replied.

Sarah Grace knew that there was more than just what Lily had said so she gave her friend a look that said she knew there was more.

"Did she say that you were still with Erik?"

"From what she said, no my relationship with Erik won't last long. The psychic says it will be over by the time I start the spring semester of my sophomore year of college." Lily answered.

"Oh okay."

It was then that the wedding got underway in the backyard of Lanie's childhood home when Robin along with his best man and groomsmen took their places under the canopy that had been set up days before the wedding. The Reverend also took his place.

"So who did the psychic say that you end up with after Erik?" Sarah Grace asked just as the music that Kate and the two other bridesmaid would walk down the aisle to started to play.

"Ah…."

As Lily tried to stall, Kate walked by and winked at Rick.

"Well?" Sarah Grace pressed.

"The psychic said that I'm going to end up with your brother after Erik."

While Sarah Grace processed what Lily had said _Here Comes The Bride_ started to play shortly after Kate and the other bridesmaids stood opposite of Robin, his best man and groomsmen; Lanie walked down the aisle with her parents.

Once Mr. and Mrs. Parish took their seats, the Reverend started the ceremony. About an hour or so later the ceremony was over and Lanie was now a married woman. The reception followed a while after the wedding. Lanie and Robin were introduced to their guests at the reception when they had walked into the banquet hall.

Lily and her brothers were flying solo at this wedding unlike when they had attended Javi and Tori's wedding a number of weeks ago.

"Why don't you ask my brother to dance?" Sarah Grace asked after Lanie and Robin finished their first dance as a married couple.

"I'm still with Erik. It wouldn't be right."

After much convincing from Sarah Grace; Lily opted to see if Nicholas Javier would dance with her. Thankfully, Nicholas Javier had said yes to the dance and the duo took to the dance floor in the middle of the banquet hall.

With their respective parents looking on from the table they were all at, Kevin turned to Rick and Kate.

"Looks like there is something there between our kids."

"Yeah it does look that way," Rick replied.

"Definitely." Kate commented.

"Who knows, but maybe in a number of years we could be at their wedding."

"Maybe."

After that the reception went on until the early hours of the evening.


End file.
